Massage apparatus



. Sept. 8, 1925.

H. F. ROCKETT MASSAGE APPARATUS Filed Feb- 2l. 1924 attozmng v Fatented geist. n,

narra aras rafraur MASSAGE APPARATUS.

Application filed February 21, 1924. Serial No. 694,296.

To all ill/tom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, HENnr F. Roolinr'r, a citizen of' the United States, residing at Gastonia, in the county of Gaston and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Massage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to massage apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of this character especially adapted for treating the head and scalp.

The object of the invention is to provide a power driven device which will be simple in construction, and eflicient in operation, for thoroughly rubbing or massaging, at one time, a relatively large area of the head or scalp, such apparatus being designed to take the place of the usual hand manipulation, as well as to supplant the small vibrators now in common use;

ln order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a rear face view of my improved apparatus;

Figure 2 is a vertical central section therethrough;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 8 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary longitudinal sections, taken on planes at right angles to each other, and illustrating a modiiied construction of the actuating mechanism; and

Figure 6 is a. fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, illustrating the method of securing the rubbers to the supporting plate or base.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my improved device comprises a skeleton frame 1, preferably of elliptical shape, as clearly shown in Figure 2, such frame being formed integral with or rigidly secured to a handle portion comprising a housing 2, and a handle proper, 3.

Within the elliptical skeleton frame 1 is located a similarly shaped plate, back or base 4. This lies within the frame 1, and is arranged with its major axis co-inciding with, but somewhat shorter than that of the frame. r1`he plate or back 4 is mounted to reciprocatewithin the frame by means of pins 5, projecting outwardly from bosses 4a,

formed on the plate. One such pin 5, which constitutes an extension of the major axis, works loosely in an opening 6 in the end of the frame 1, while two other pins 5 are disposed at the'extremities of the minor axis and are received in slots 7, formed in the ring 1, such slots being covered by plates 7.

Projecting from the opposite end ofthe base or plate 4 is a pair of rods or bars 8, both being rigidly secured to the plate or base and one of them being set into an upstanding boss 4b thereon, as clearly shown in Figure 2. These bars 8 extendin spaced parallel relation into the housing 2, the open opposite sides of whichare closed by removable cover plates 23. -Located within this housing between the bars 8, is a cam 9, having a peripheral cam slot 10 in itsV cylindrical surface, and in this slot works a pair of pins 11, projecting inwardly from the bars 8. It will be understood, of course, that the bars 8 are mounted to reciprocate freely in the housing 2. The slot 10 is symmetrical, relative to the two pins 11. That is to say, it contains two similar portions extending over 180o each., Y

The cam 9 is rigidly secured to a shaft 12, extending centrally through the housing and ournaled in bearings 13 at suitable points. This shaft also extends entirely through the hollow hand member 3, and is provided at its extreme end 14 with a suitable slot or socket adapted to receive one end of a flexible shaft, the extreme end of the handle 3 being open, as indicated at 3a, to permit the free passage of such shaft. This flexible shaft may be attached to and driven by an electric motor of the type usually employed to operate hair clippers, or the like.

The plate 4 is concave or saucer shaped, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and the concave face carries and is substantially covered by a series of rubbing elements 15. These rubbing elements are preferably in the nature of knobs or lingers formed of soft india rubber or the like. They may be secured to the plate or back 4 by means of a screw 17, engaging a nut 16, embedded in the rubber. For the sake of simplicity, the heads of these screws have not been illustrated in Figure 1.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that when the shaft 12 is rotated, as by means of the motor and flexible shaft referred to, the bars 8 and plate 4 will be reeiprocated or vibrated. The operator then 'f Figuresl 4 5, I have shown a' different mechanismA for producing? this vibration.v

and'l, the"V plate or back-14 may-befreciprof catedor' vibratedv byv other means;Y Thus, in

R'eferringtothese' figures, instead ofV separatefbars,If provide ani H-shaped piece 8', having acrossbar '183i in Whichisform'ed a slot 19, and in this` slot w'orlrsaI crank` 20,

secured -atY one-end toa gear wheel 2l, journaled inlwvthe housing 2, and dri'ven'1byA a pinion 23, carried -by thesliaft '22,-'exte'ndingthrough! the handle 3; The: other: end

2 4', also journal'edinftlie"housing2. Thus,` it willfbese'en that as the* pinion 28 revolves, thegear' 2l and crank20 are caused to ro'- tate,l thus reciprocating the lilshaped member" 8" and vibrating th-eplate 4, which isrigidly" attached thereto.)

What I; claim is f l. Ama'ssage'y device" comprising a base plate; rubbing l' elements carriedE by one lface thereof, a skeleton' framet encircling' 'said base'` plate, and within which saidl base plate is mounted to reciprocate; and means for reciprocating' saidplate" in-v said frame.

2. A` massage Y device comprisinga base plate having a concave face, a seriesof rubbing elements carried by such concave face, askeletonframe encircling said base plate, and within which said base plate is mounted to reciprocate, and means for reciprocating said plate in said frame. l

3.- A"massage`device comprising a skeleton frame, a handle portion rigid therewith, a plate itting' inside of said `framey and mounted to reciprocate therein, rubbers car.

ried. by'said plate, and mechanism within said handle portion for reciprocatingsaid platein theframe.v

4. A' massage device comprising an ellipticallfra'me, a: similarlyl shaped plate having a somewhat shorter or axis enclosed in `Vand. mounted to' reciprocate 'withinf said frame, rubbing elements carried byf'said plate, and" meansl for' reciprocatingY said plate in the direction off-itsfmajoraxis.

5; Ai massage' device comprising a base plate, rubbing elementsfcarriedfby oneface thereof, a skeleton frame encircling' said base-plate,v one dimension of the inside'of saidframe being substantially equal tof-the width of' said plate, and'theother dimension being greater thanfthe lengthof said plate,- t'o provide a clearance whereby said plate may be reciprocated within said frame, means for soreciprocating*said plate, and meansfformovably mounting the plate in saidframe so as to prevent' its separation but permit its reciprocation therein.

In testimony whereofl" aliX my signature.

HENRY F.A ROCKETT. 

